PortExpert monitors TCP and UDP communications on Windows

Martin Brinkmann
Dec 31, 2014
Software, Windows software
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8

One of the things that I do regularly is to check open connections on a PC I'm working with to make sure that there are no leaks or ports open that I don't require.

While it is possible to use command line tools like ipconfig for some of this, I prefer to use programs like CurrPorts instead as they make life a lot easier by formatting the output and adding features to the list that you can make use of to investigate potential issues further.

PortExpert is a similar program that has just been released. It is available as a portable version and installer on the developers website.

Note: The regular installer contains sponsored contents. You can avoid those by declining offers when they come up or by installing versions without those offers.

The program displays all applications on start that are currently connected to remote addresses. You find web browsers here for example but also other programs such as Steam, email programs or messengers that connect to remote locations.

A click on a process displays additional details about it in the interface. Here you see the local address and port for example as well.

Buttons are provided to run a whois check on the remote address, to search for it on the web, to open the address in the default web browser, or to open the process folder.

Whois sends the data to the Domaintools service which displays Whois data that include the owner of the IP address and contact information. This is usually enough to determine whether a connection is legitimate or not.

The freeze time button in the interface stops the refreshing of the connections which can be useful to keep connections displayed that you want to investigate further.

PortExpert supports two additional features of note. The first adds all local connections to the display which means connections in the local area network the computer is connected to.

This can be useful as well, especially if your computer is not the only one connected to the network.

The third and final option is to show all system processes which may display local or remote connections as well.

Closing Words

PortExpert is a handy program for Windows users who want to check all local or remote connections on a computer running the operating system.

An option to export the information or at least log it is not available yet but would be useful. Another thing that may be of interest to some users is notifications when new applications connect to the Internet for the first time.

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Software Name
PortExpert
Operating System
Windows
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Comments

  1. Kyle said on January 1, 2015 at 2:21 pm
    Reply

    Happy new year everyone ! (i’m the developper of PortExpert)

  2. Rick said on January 1, 2015 at 1:46 am
    Reply

    Happy New Year!

    PS: check your RSS feed settings. I think that it might be including posts that have a future time set. This article was available at least 10 hours via RSS link before it showed up on the blog :)

    1. Martin Brinkmann said on January 1, 2015 at 9:20 am
      Reply

      Happy New Year to you as well. This must have been a caching issue. When that happens, try Ctrl-F5.

      1. Rick said on January 1, 2015 at 6:02 pm
        Reply

        Nope – not caching. I always refresh by emptying cache (happened on 3 browsers too IE, Opera, and of course FF).

        Anyhow, if that is the biggest news in 2015, we are going to have a great year!

  3. Dan said on January 1, 2015 at 12:38 am
    Reply

    I’ll second what Sylvio wrote and say that yours is my favorite blog. Thanks very much, and a very Happy 2015 to you.

    1. Martin Brinkmann said on January 1, 2015 at 9:20 am
      Reply

      Thanks Dan, to you as well!

  4. Sylvio Haas said on December 31, 2014 at 8:17 pm
    Reply

    Hi, Martin! This is just to wish you a happy new year
    and also thank you and congratulate you for the
    excellent job you’re doing here.
    Regards,
    Sylvio Haas, from Brazil

    1. Martin Brinkmann said on January 1, 2015 at 9:20 am
      Reply

      Thanks Sylvio, all the best to you as well.

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